


Onward Scenarios

by Vinny_XIII



Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: F/M, barley x reader, boyfriend scenarios, ian x reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:20:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 18,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25388941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vinny_XIII/pseuds/Vinny_XIII
Summary: Just some various scenarios and head canons between the Lightfoot brothers and the reader.
Relationships: Barley Lightfoot/Reader, Ian Lightfoot/Reader
Comments: 6
Kudos: 48





	1. How you meet

**Ian** :  
Rain poured over New Mushroomton High School, the occasional flash of lighting catching Ian’s attention through the window. The room was filled with the typical chatter before class began.  
“Alright class,” The teacher said, walking into the room as the bell rang, “Everyone take a seat and give me your attention. We have a new student joining us today.”  
The room quietly buzzed with surprised murmurs from the other students. It had been a while since a new student had joined the school.  
“Come on in and introduce yourself.” The teacher said.  
You walked in, pushing your wet hair out of your face as you sheepishly greeted everyone, “Um, hi.”  
Unfortunately for you, you had gotten caught in the rain while you walked to school. It wasn’t your ideal first impression, standing in front of your new classmates looking like a drowned rat, but it couldn’t be helped.  
“Don’t be shy,” The teacher assured you, “Go ahead and introduce yourself, maybe tell us a bit about yourself?”  
You told the class your name, how you moved here with your Aunt and older sister from New Urban; you enjoyed baking, painting, anything artistic really, and you liked to read.  
“Thank you (Name),” The teacher said, “Why don’t you take the empty seat behind Ian.”  
The young elf watched you walk towards him. He couldn’t help feeling bad about how soaked you were. It was too bad he didn’t know a drying spell. He turned to you as you took the seat behind him.  
“Hi.” He said, “I-I know it’s not much, but do you want my jacket?”  
You gave him a surprised look, “Seriously?”  
“Yeah.” He said with a gentle smile as he held out his jacket.  
“It’ll be all wet though.” You said.  
“That’s okay,” Ian said, “It could keep you warm at least.”  
You smiled at him, taking the jacket, “Thanks… Ian, right?”  
“Yeah,” He chuckled, “It’s nice to meet you, (Name).”

**Barley** :  
‘Eddy’s Lair’ the large neon sign flickered above the small comic book shop. You double checked the job listing, making sure this was the place hiring a cashier. You had just moved to New Mushroomton with your Aunt and younger sister, and now you were searching for work. This was the fourth place you were dropping a resume off at and this was the place you were really hoping would hire you.  
“Hey, Barley-boy!” The tall cyclops quietly called.  
“What’s up Jonny?” Barley asked.  
“Check it out! We got a cutie coming in!”  
Barley turned his attention to the large window by the front door. He couldn’t help smiling as he watched you sprint from your car to the door, trying to avoid the downpour of rain as you held something close to you. The door swung open with a small jingle as you looked around.  
“Hey there!” Barley called from behind the counter, “Welcome to Eddy’s Lair. How can I help you m’lady?”  
You stifled a giggle and asked, “Are you guys hiring by chance?”  
“Aw, I’m sorry, we aren’t.” Jonny said.  
“Well dang,” You sighed.  
“Is that a resume?” Barley asked, “If you want I can still give it to Eddy. In case we ever need some help, I mean.”  
“That would be great!” You beamed, handing the resume to the young elf.  
“I’m gonna guess since you’re applying here, you must like comics huh?” Barley asked.  
“Oh I love them!” You said, with a grin.  
“Yeah? What’s your favorite genre?” Barley asked.  
Jonny couldn’t help chuckling to himself as he watched the two of you ramble on about comics, the conversation gradually drifting to games and how you both like playing Quest of Yore. Eventually you noticed the time and realized it was almost time to pick up your sister from school.  
“Oh geez,” You said, double checking your watch, “I didn’t realize it was getting this late.”  
“Well hey, if you gotta go you can always come back another time.” Barley said with a grin.  
“Definitely!” You smiled, “It’s fun to have someone to geek out with.”  
“How about we hang out over at Flo’s?” Barley suggested, “It’s this great diner by the high school. Bring your sister and I’ll bring my brother.”  
“Sounds great! Do you have a piece of paper?” You asked, writing your number down and giving it to Barley.  
“(Name)?” Barley read with a smile, “I’m Barley.”  
“It’s good to meet you.” You smiled, “Call me whenever.”  
Once you were gone, Jonny turned to Barley and asked, “How’d you do that?”  
“I dunno, it just happened.” Barley said as he put your number in his phone.


	2. Hanging out

**Ian** :  
You walked into class, smiling as Ian waved to you. It had been a week since you started school here in New Mushroomton and it had been a fairly smooth transition thanks to Ian. He showed you around on your first day, introduced you to his friends, let you know what routes were the quickest to get to and from school, and let you know what foods to avoid in the cafeteria. As a thank you, you made some cupcakes and brought some to class with you.  
“Morning!” Ian greeted.  
“Good morning!” You said, “I got something for you.”  
“You do?” He gave you a surprised look, “Why? I-I mean-”  
“It’s a thank you.” You smiled as you handed him the small tupperware, “For helping me out.”  
“Oh, you didn’t have to.” He said, “I’m glad I could help you though.”  
Still, the young elf curiously looked in the tupperware, smiling when he saw the cupcakes.  
“I wasn’t sure if you liked frosting or not, so I only frosted two of them.” You said.  
“These look great! Thank you (Name).” Ian beamed.  
“Okay class,” The teacher said walking into the classroom, “Take out your text books…”  
“Let’s hang out during lunch.” You whispered to Ian as he carefully tucked the tupperware into his bag and nodded to you.  
~~~  
Later that day, you and Ian were sitting outside under a large tree. You watch as Ian tried one of the cupcakes. A wide smile spread across his face as he ate it.  
“What do you think?” You asked.  
“These are great! How’d you get it so moist?” He asked as he took another bite.  
“That’s a family secret.” You laughed, happy to watch him enjoying the cupcakes.  
The two of you spent the rest of the lunch chatting about various things. Different spells Ian was trying to master, how things were so much smaller in New Mushroomton compared to New Urban, you both realized you had similar tastes in music, the conversation flowed and topics changed until the bell rang.  
“I don’t want to go to gym.” You groaned as you got up.  
“It won’t be too bad today,” Ian chuckled, “Coach Evans just has you run laps for a few minutes then it’s free choice.”  
“Oh that reminds me,” you said, “There’s a pop quiz in math today.”  
“Aw, really?” Ian asked as you two walked to class together. 

**Barley** :  
You two had parked at the side of the small theater, the bright morning sun disappearing and reappearing behind the wispy white clouds. You and Barley had been hanging out in the park when you mentioned you liked musicals. When Barely told you they were having auditions for one at the local theater, the excited look on your face was all the more he had to see before he started encouraging you to try out.  
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” You asked.  
“Are you kidding?” Barley cheered, “This is amazing! I never really thought about musicals before, but if it’s something you want to do, let's do it!”  
You laughed as Barley grabbed the door, opening it for you with a playful bow, “M’lady.”  
“Well thank you, Sir Barley.” You said, with a joking curtsy.  
You both quietly laughed, making your way into the lobby. Near the door for the auditorium was an elderly elf woman sitting at a small table.  
“Good morning.” She greeted, “Are you both here to audition?”  
“I’m just here to watch.” Barley said.  
“I’m auditioning though, if they’re still open.” You said.  
“Oh yes,” The woman said, handing you a safety pin and a large piece of paper with a number on it, “Just put that number on and fill out this form and give it to the director when he calls your number.”  
You thanked the woman, following Barley into the auditorium. You both listened to the others auditioning as you filled out the paperwork. As the director came closer and closer to calling your number, you began fidgeting and you suddenly became aware of how dry your mouth was. Suddenly you felt Barley’s larger hand cover your own.  
“Hey,” He quietly said with a smile, “You got this.”  
“Thanks.” You smiled, feeling a little better.  
“Number thirty!” The director called out.  
“Coming!” You said.  
“Good luck!” Barley said, squeezing your hand as you got up.  
After giving the director your paperwork you took the stage. With a deep breath you introduced yourself.  
“What song will you be singing?” The director asked, glancing over your papers.  
“I’ll be singing ‘What Baking Can Do’ from Waitress.” You said.  
“Alright, go ahead and start when you’re ready.”  
You took a couple deep breaths before gently starting to sing. As the song continued, your voice gradually grew stronger and more confident.  
“...So with flour on my hands, I’ll show them all how god damn happy I am!” You sang, your voice climbing, ringing out loud and passionately.  
When your song came to an end, the small crowd applauded, Barley cheering loudly and whistling from where you had been sitting. You couldn’t help grinning, catching your breath as the director thanked you and let you know they’d be calling with the results later that day.  
“That was amazing!” Barley exclaimed as you two left the theater, “How could you hide something like that?!”  
“I wasn’t hiding it.” You laughed.  
“You’ve got to sing for Jonny some time! I bet he’d love to have you in his band!” Barley grinned.  
“Me? In a band?”  
“Why not?” He asked.  
You spent the next couple hours hanging out together. You hadn’t gotten very far in a game of Quest of Yore when your cell phone started ringing. You quickly answered, nodding to Barley as he gave you a questioning look. It was the director letting you know the results from the audition. He told you how you gave a good audition, but unfortunately you weren't chosen for this musical. Your shoulders slumped, as you thanked the director for letting you know. Barely could tell from your body language you didn’t get the part.  
“Hey, it’s okay.” He said, “Maybe you’ll get the next one.”  
“Yeah…” You said, biting your lip.  
Barley got up from his chair, coming to your side and giving you a hug as he offered, “Do you want to go get some ice cream?”  
You gave him a small chuckle, returning the hug as you nodded.


	3. Dancing with Barley/He realizes his feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a little longer than I thought it'd be lol. Ian's will be posted next.

“Barley-boy!” Jonny cheered, throwing a long, lanky arm around the elf's shoulder, “You should come to the club with us tonight!”  
Barley snorted, “You know I’m not a club guy.”  
“I know, I know, but I think you’re going to want to be there tonight.” Jonny grinned, “My boyfriend convinced (Name) to join us.”  
_‘That explained why (Name) couldn’t come over tonight,’_ Barley thought.  
“Come on, man.” Jonny begged, “It’s gonna be a whole group of us. Gretel and her bae are coming too. Besides, this could be your chance to ask (Name) out!”  
“Why would I ask her out?” Barley asked, arching an eyebrow at the cyclops.  
“Oh right, like you don’t have a little crush on her.” Jonny replied with a grin.  
“I don’t.” Barley said, playfully pushing his friend.  
“Really?” Jonny gave him a smug grin, “Then answer me this: When do you typically send the first text of the day.”  
“I guess when I’m eating breakfast.” Barley said.  
“And what’s it typically say?”  
“I say good morning.” Barley chuckled, “What else would I say?”  
“Well you could say ‘what’s up?’ or just ‘sup?’ or something along those lines.” Jonny said, “And don’t think I didn’t notice the other day, you upgraded her nickname from m’lady to princess.”  
“You were there when she played as a warrior princess in Quest of Yore.” Barley replied.  
“Ah, but I didn’t hear you argue _your_ new nickname either, right Mr. Kight?” Jonny teased, “Come on, bro. Just come out this one time, _please?_ ”  
“Alright, alright.” Barley laughed, “No playing match maker though, okay? (Name) and I are just friends.”  
“Okay, if you say so, dude.” Jonny said with a grin.  
~~~  
Later that night, you stood outside the large dance club, talking with Jonny and his boyfriend, Ben, as you three waited for Barley.  
“You look good tonight, (Name).” Jonny said with a grin, “Any particular reason you got all dolled up?”  
He was referring to the super hero themed dress and short black boots you were wearing.  
“What?” You laughed, “This is my first time going out here in New Mushroomton. I can’t get dressed up?”  
“Hey guys!” Barley called as he crossed the street.  
You turned to see Barley wearing a simple band tank top and plain jeans. You also couldn’t help noticing his tattoo that was typically hidden by his tee shirt.  
“Since when do you have a tattoo?” You asked.  
“Oh, I think it’s been a couple years now.” Barley said, letting you examine the design on his arm.  
“That’s really cool.” You said, tracing your fingers over the intricate lines.  
Barley smiled as he watched you. It only took him a moment to notice your outfit, “I like your dress. You look nice tonight.”  
“Thanks, you do too.” You said returning the smile.  
“Shall we head inside?” Jonny asked, grinning at Barley. “Gretel and her bae bailed at the last minute, so it’s just us.”  
Barley fought the urge to blush as he remembered his earlier conversation with Jonny, “Y-yeah.”  
Music pulsed through the dimly lit club, colored lights dancing over the crowd in time with the song. You could feel the thump of the base vibrating through you as you made your way through the crowd. Bumping into the other people as you tried to keep up with the guys, it didn’t take long before a large troll bumped into you, pushing you into the crowd.  
“Sorry about that.” The troll called over the music, “Are you okay?”  
“Yeah,” You called back, looking around and realizing you lost Barley.  
“Do you want to dance?” He asked, smiling down at you.  
“No thanks,” You said, “I’m just trying to figure out where my friends went.”  
“I could be your friend?” The troll offered.  
Before you could answer you felt a large hand wrap around your own. You turned and saw Barley was the one holding your hand.  
“She’s with me.” Barley called over the music.  
“Oh, sorry.” The troll said, “My bad, bro.”  
“Thank you!” You said, squeezing Barley’s hand.  
“I’m sorry, I thought you were right behind me.” He said.  
“I was till that guy bumped into me.” You replied. “Where’d Jonny and Ben go?”  
“I’m not sure.” Barely said as he scanned the crowd, “Oh! There they are!”  
You looked where he was pointing and saw they were already deep in the crowd, dancing away. You couldn’t help laughing at how quick they had made their way on to the dance floor.  
“How bout it?” You asked, “Wanna dance?”  
Barley felt his heart skip a beat. He knew at some point he would be dancing with you tonight, he just didn’t expect to jump right into it.  
“S-sure.” He said, letting you lead the way to the dance floor.  
_‘Lost in your light baby,’_ The music pulsed through the room, _‘I want to stay right here all night baby.’_  
It wasn’t like it was the first time he had held your hand, but he couldn’t help but notice how soft and warm it was. It fit perfectly in his own hand. Was it like that before? He didn’t have long to contemplate it before your hand slipped from his own. You turned to him as you began dancing to the song. Barley grinned as you smiled back. As he began dancing with you, he noticed Jonny nearby, giving him a thumbs up as Ben clapped in approval.  
Before either of you knew it, you had been dancing for a couple hours. The four of you stepped outside, the night air feeling cool against your skin.  
“Oh, that was so much fun!” Jonny said, stretching his arms above his head.  
“As much as I don't want to, we should get going.” Ben said. “It’s almost midnight.”  
“Oh geez, my aunt’s going to start worrying.” You said as you looked at your watch.  
“I can take you home.” Barley offered.  
“Oh that’d be great!” You grinned.  
“Text me later Barley-boy!” Jonny said with a grin.  
Barley walked you to his van, opening the door for you as he bowed, “Your chariot, my princess.”  
“Well thank you, Mr. Knight.” You laughed with a curtsy.  
Barley felt like his stomach was doing flips as he drove you home. The windows were down, the cool night air blowing through the windows as you two talked about various things. When Barley pulled up to your house, you leaned over and hugged him, thanking him for the night and the ride. As soon as Barley saw you get into the house safely he began to drive home.  
Why did he suddenly feel so nervous around you? It had to be because Jonny was giving him a hard time earlier, right? That had to be it. Jonny just got him over thinking things… right? The thought of that troll hitting on you crept into his thoughts. What if you had decided to dance with him? The thought made his chest feel tight. What if that guy was the reason you were smiling, what if he was the one taking you home? Not that you would go home with a guy you didn’t know, but still. The thought made him uncomfortable, uneasy. Barley wanted to be the one to make you smile, the one who made you laugh, He wanted to be the one that made sure you got home safe.  
“Oh, shantar’s talon…” Barley muttered as the thought hit him.  
He did have a crush on you.


	4. Dancing with Ian/His feelings for you

“Ian! (Name)!” A familiar voice called you both.  
You both had just left your homeroom when Gabby found you. The elf girl jogged up to you two, her dark hair pulled back in it’s usual bun.   
“Hey Gabby.” Ian said, “What’s up?”  
“Hey, you guys know about the dance this friday right?” She asked, “We’re all going to go as a group, do you guys want to come too?”  
“Sure!” You beamed.  
Honestly, you had been really looking forward to the dance. You had even debated about asking Ian to go, but every time you had the chance someone would interrupt you.  
“I dunno,” Ian said sheepishly, “I-I’m not much of a dancer.”  
“Oh..” You muttered, thinking that that would have answered your question if you had asked.  
Ian noticed the disappointed look on your face before you looked away from him. Were you wanting to go with him? The thought made his heart skip a beat. He had thought of asking you, but every time he tried he got too nervous and changed the topic. Gabby looked from Ian to you, quickly realizing what was going on.  
“Oh come on!” She chirped, “It’ll be fun! Besides, Winston isn’t much of a dancer either, but he still likes to go and hang out with everyone. You should think about it!”  
You looked at Ian, wondering if you two could change his mind, “She’s got a point you know. It could still be fun just listening to the music together.”  
Ian glanced to Gabby who subtly gave him a thumbs up.   
“O-okay.” Ian said, “I’ll come too then.”   
“Great!” You cheered as the bell rang.   
“Oh, I guess that means we better get to science.” Gabby said.  
“Yeah, I got to get to math.” You replied, “I’ll see you guys at lunch!”   
Gabby and Ian waved goodbye to you as they began walking to class. Once you were out of earshot, Gabby turned to Ian with a teasing smile.  
“You’re welcome.” She chuckled.  
“F-for what?” Ian asked, acting as if he didn’t know what she meant.  
“You looked like you could use a little help back there.” Gabby said, “I don’t know why you don’t just tell her how you feel already.”   
Ian felt the heat rush to his cheeks as he quickly looked to see if anyone else had heard her.  
“I-I don’t know what you’re t-talking about.” He stammered, “We’re just friends.”  
“For now.” Gabby chuckled, “You two obviously like each other. You should go for it!”  
“What if she says no though?” Ian asked, “Things will be… Awkward. I mean, what if she doesn’t want to hang out anymore?”  
“Well that is a possibility.” Gabby admitted before gently punching his shoulder, “You got this though! I’m positive she likes you too!”  
“You two must be talking about (Name).” Winston snickered.  
Ian froze, staring at the large troll, “H-how-”  
“Come on, man,” Winston grinned, “It’s so obvious she likes you. You should go for it!”  
“That’s what I said!” Gabby exclaimed.  
“What are you guys talking about?” Avery asked as they walked up to the small group.  
“Nothing!” Ian said, taking his seat by Winston.  
Avery choked back a snort as they smiled, “Nevermind, I think I know _who_ we’re talking about.”  
“Does everyone know?!” Ian groaned, trying to hide his face against the desk.  
“I think just us.” The cyclops replied, “I mean, I really doubt (Name) knows. Especially since she asked me if you were single.”  
“What?!” Ian jumped up, drawing the classes attention.  
“Something you wish to share with the class Mr. Lightfoot?” The teacher asked as he walked to the front of the class.  
“N-no sir.” Ian replied, sinking down in the chair.   
~~~  
A couple days passed and the night of the dance finally came. Ian felt like his stomach was in knots. He checked his outfit in the mirror, wondering if he looked okay. It was just his jeans and a simple burgundy short sleeved button up shirt.   
“You look good.” Barley said from the doorway with a smile.  
“Th-thanks.” Ian said as he nervously brushed his shirt down.  
“Relax,” Barley chuckled, “It’s just a dance with your friends. It’ll be fun.”  
“I’m not much of a dancer though.” Ian replied.  
“That’s okay.” Barley grinned, “Don’t overthink it. Just move with the music. If all else fails, just ask (Name) to dance when a slow dance comes on.”  
“How do you even dance to a slow dance?” Ian asked.  
“Oh that’s easy.” Barely waved his hand, “Just put your hands on her waist, she’ll put her hands on your shoulders, and you just sway to the rhythm.”  
“Really?” Ian asked, was it really that simple?  
“Oh yeah.” Barley said, “As you sway you wind up turning in a little circle, and that’s it.”  
“Look at my little chubby cheeks!” Laurel cooed as she poked her head into the room, “All ready for your first dance?”  
“I-I think so.” Ian said with a nervous laugh.  
“Catch!” Barley said as he tossed his keys to Ian.   
“Wait… You’re letting me borrow Guinevere 2?” Ian asked.  
“Well yeah,” Barley laughed, “How else are you going to pick up (Name)?”  
~~~  
You waited outside your house, tugging slightly at your sundress. You aunt was working late and your sister was also at work, leaving you fidgeting outside your house as you wondered if you looked okay. You felt your heart jump as you saw the familiar yellow van come around the corner. It was safe to say you had a small crush on Ian, but you didn’t think he returned the feelings. Still, you enjoyed being able to spend time with him. After all, crushes come and go, don’t they?  
“Hey!” Ian greeted as he slid out of the van, “You look really nice.”  
“Thanks, you do too.” You said as Ian opened the passenger door for you.  
As you two drove to the school, you talked about different things. Ian couldn’t help gripping the steering wheel now and then. You two weren’t even at the dance yet and he already felt like his heart was mimicking a hummingbird. What was it going to be like when you two actually danced?  
You both met your friends out in front of the school before walking in together. The music pulsed through the cafeteria as you all walked in. Ian was surprised to see the lights were off, the only light source being a couple balls of shifting colored lights and a strobe light near the dj table. The cafeteria was crowded, the other students dancing and bumping into one another.   
“Let’s go this way!” Gabby said, leading the way to a less crowded area in the corner.   
The steady rhythm of the music thumped through the room, Ian looked to his friends watching them bob and step to the music as they started falling into their own rhythms. He thought about what Barley had told him.  
 _‘Don’t overthink it. Don’t overthink it.’_ He told himself as he let himself begin moving to the music.   
“There ya go!” Winston said with a grin as he nudged Ian.  
“Just relax!” You called over the music as you took his hand and began dancing with him.  
When you touched his hand, Ian felt his nervousness subside. Seeing your smile as you took the lead somehow put him at ease. He didn’t even mind the fact that his heart started fluttering again. He couldn’t help laughing as you purposely did a goofy little dance move. Before he knew it, you all were dancing together, without any cares of what the other students thought. If they were to even pay attention to your group that is.   
_“I found myself dreaming in silver and gold,”_ The first slow dance of the night began to play, _“Like a scene from a movie, that every broken heart knows.”_  
Winston broke off from the group to catch his breath, Avery joining him, and Gabby went to find someone to dance with. You looked to Ian, wondering if he was going to ask you to dance or if it would be better for you to ask.  
“(N-name)?” Ian nervously looked around before asking, “Do you want to keep dancing?”  
“Sure!” You beamed.  
A wide smile spread across Ian’s face as he took a step towards you. He carefully placed his hands on your waist as you put your hands on his shoulders. He gave you a nervous smile as you both began to gently sway. Neither of you could stop smiling as you looked at one another.  
Ian wondered if you really did have feelings for him like the others had said. Was that really possible? It wasn’t like you pulled away from him as he carefully moved closer to you. In fact, when you noticed him inching closer, you did the same. You carefully wrapped your arms around the back of his neck as you laid your head on his shoulder. Ian wondered if you could hear how fast his heart was beating as he gently wrapped his arms around you. He could smell the sweet smell of brown sugar and honey. Ian couldn’t help but wonder if that was from how often you bake or if it was your shampoo. Either way, he was sure he’d remember that smell from now on.   
Before you both knew it, the song was over and the cafeteria was once again pulsing as the music picked back up. You both hesitantly pulled away from each other as your friends once again joined you.  
Later that night, Ian drove you home as the two of you talked about how much fun you both had.  
“Aren’t you happy you came tonight?” You asked as he pulled up to your house.  
“Yeah, that was actually really fun.” He said with a smile.  
“We should go to the next one too!” You grinned as you leaned over and hugged him, “Thanks for the ride.”   
“Any time.” Ian replied as he returned the hug. “And yeah, definitely!”  
You both said your goodbyes as you got out of the van and made your way into the house. As Ian drove home, a thought occurred to him, did that mean the next dance would be a date?


	5. When he misses you

**Ian:**  
Ian glanced to your empty desk and let out a small sigh. It had been a week since you had been in class. You weren’t sick or anything, just out visiting your grandma in New Urban. She had broken her arm and you, your sister, and aunt were staying with her to make sure she was okay. You and Ian still talked and texted while you were away, but it wasn’t the same. You also didn’t text when you knew he was at school.   
“You miss your buddy huh?” A familiar voice said from Ian’s other side.   
He turned to see Gorgamon staring at him, “Oh, uh, y-yeah.”  
“So what’s the deal with you two?” Gorgamon asked.  
“D-deal?” Ian asked, giving the troll a questioning look.  
“Yeah,” He replied, “Like are you two dating or what?”   
“Uh, n-no, w-we’re not dating.” Ian replied, not liking where this conversation was going.  
“Do you want to date her?” Gorgamon asked.  
Ian felt the heat rise to his cheeks as he tried to reply, but only managed to stammer, earning a small chuckle from Gorgamon.  
“I’m going to take that as a yes.” The troll smirked.  
“W-why do you ask?” Ian asked.  
“Well, I was going to ask her out, but if you two were already going out I wasn’t going to.” Gorgamon said.  
“O-oh.” Ian was afraid that was where the conversation was going.   
He didn’t think you even felt that way about Gorgamon, but the thought of you being with someone else made his chest hurt. It wasn’t like he could tell Gorgamon not to try, that choice was up to you after all.  
“Don’t worry dude,” Gorgamon said, “I won’t ask her out.”  
“Huh?” Ian gave him a confused look.  
“You obviously like her, plus you two are always together.” Gorgamon said, “I’d say you have a better chance with her anyways.”  
“Um, th-thank you?” Ian said, not really knowing how to reply. Was Gorgamon really encouraging him to ask you out?  
Later that night, you still hadn’t called or text. Ian was starting to wonder if everything was okay when his phone began to chirp. He quickly pulled his phone from his pocket, seeing it was a request for a video chat.  
“Hey!” He answered before seeing it was your older sister he was talking to.  
“Hey Ian!” Your sister smiled, “I figured you might be missing my stubborn little sister, so I’m going to surprise her with a video call from you.”  
“What?” Ian laughed.  
“She doesn’t want to bug you with calling when you guys have finals coming up.” Your sister said, “Something about you’re probably going to be busy studying, so she doesn’t want to bother you.”  
“(Name) could never bother me.” Ian said.  
“That’s what I said!”   
“Who are you talking to?” Your voice came from off screen.  
“Say hi to Barley for me.” Your sister said before tossing the phone to you.  
Ian watched the background spin and readjust until your face came onto the screen.  
“Hi (name).” Ian smiled.  
“Ian!” You grinned, “I thought you’d be studying.”  
“It probably wouldn’t hurt to study,” Ian said, “But I… I miss you.”  
You smiled, watching a small blush creep across the elf’s cheeks as he glanced away from the screen.  
“I miss you too.”

**Barley:**  
 _“If you’re gonna get me addicted you have my permission. I think I know how these things go.”_ The song played over the radio of the small shop. _“If you’re gonna mess me up, don’t do it slow.”_  
Barley groaned letting his forehead drop against the counter top. Jonny looked to him with a concerned glance. It was a slow day in the shop, barely any customers had come in which led to Barley thinking about you.  
“You okay?” Jonny asked.  
“Why’d you have to point out I have a crush?” Barley asked, not lifting his head from the counter.  
Jonny burst into laughter, “Bro, it’s your head. How’d you not know?”  
“I dunno.” Barley said, turning to him, “I was just having fun being with her.”  
“Now that she’s gone you don’t know what to do with yourself, huh?” Jonny snickered.  
You had been gone for a week, visiting your grandma in New Urban. It was still going to be another week before you would be back. Barley had gotten so used to hanging out with you on a nearly daily basis, he honestly didn’t know what to do without you. He let out another groan as he sat back on his stool.   
“I don’t remember crushes being like this.” He said.  
“You really got it bad, don’t you?” Jonny asked, “When was the last time you had a crush? It wasn’t Ebyon was it?”  
Ebyon was a girlfriend of Barley’s back when they were in high school. Although she was an ex now, that was still three years ago.   
“Yeah, it was.” Barley admitted.   
“Oh wow!” Jonny paused, “I guess that’s part of being demisexual though, huh?”  
“I dunno.” Barley sighed, “I wanna text her, but what if I’m texting too much and she gets annoyed?”   
“Dude, I think she’d tell you if you were texting too much.” Jonny said.  
Before Barley could reply, an 8-bit melody chimed from his pocket. He looked to see he had a text from your little sister. Jonny noticed Barley’s confused expression and peeked over his shoulder.  
“(Name)’s sister text you?” Jonny asked.  
“Yeah, it’s usually Ian she texts.” Barley said, opening the text to see it was a short video she had sent.   
“Hey Bar!” Your sister waved, talking loudly over the music in the background, “(Name) doesn’t know I’m sending this, but I figured you may be missing her too since she’s been missing you like crazy! I wish I could have recorded this sooner, but she dedicated this song to you!”   
“Song?” Barley and Jonny questioned in unison as they watched the camera flip around in the video.  
There you were on a small stage, front and center with a small band, singing loudly as the crowd clapped along with the song. The drums kept time as the guitar built the energy higher and higher.   
_“Just wanna be, I wanna be with you in the moonlight.”_ You sang, _“Just wanna be, wanna be with you all night.”_  
Barley instantly recognized the song, it was one you two listened to all the time when he’d be driving around.  
Jonny pat Barley’s shoulder, a wide grin spreading on his face, “I think it’s safe to say you’re not annoying her with texts.”


	6. You almost kiss

**Ian** :  
How did he get talked into this? It was one thing coming to this party, after all he was coming with you, Gabby, and Avery. However, seven minutes in heaven was an entirely different thing. When did his name get put in the tupperware? And of all people, how’d he get paired up with you?! That’s not to say he didn’t want to kiss you, he just never thought it would happen like this. He didn’t _want_ it to happen like this. He was just standing there, minding his own business as he chatted with you, then the next thing he knew someone was announcing the game was starting. Ian felt as if his face would burst into flames when the small crowd whooped at you both being paired with one another. Before either of you could respond, Gorgamon shoved you both into the closet before giving Ian a small wink. Now here you both were, awkwardly scrunched into the small, dark closet.   
“What just happened?” You asked, trying to register how quick everything happened.  
“Uh, I think we’re supposed to play the game?” Ian said, trying to see your form in the dark.  
“Did you really put your name in?” You asked.  
“No!” Ian exclaimed, his voice cracking before he cleared his throat, “I-I mean I wouldn’t want my first kiss to be like this, so-”  
“It’s your first kiss?” You asked, trying to hide the surprise in your voice.  
“...Y-yeah.” Ian hesitantly replied, grateful the darkness was hiding his embarrassment.  
“Me too.” You admitted, “I mean, I’ve dated before, but it never felt right when they tried, so I’ve never actually kissed anyone before.”  
“Really?” Ian asked, relieved he wasn’t the only one.   
He had tried to move in the cramped closet, but his foot caught on something, making him trip and fall into you before you could reply.  
“S-sorry!” He stuttered, trying to push himself back up.  
Bracing himself against the wall and the door, he quickly realized he had you pinned against the corner of the closet. He froze when he noticed your breath on his cheek. Were you really that close?   
“It’s okay.” You said, reaching out as your hand bumped his chin, “Are you okay?”  
“Y-y-yeah.” Ian replied as you cupped his face.  
“Hey, there you are.” You laughed, making him laugh as well.  
Ian bit his lip, his mind racing. You were so close and you weren’t pushing him away. Your hands were warm against his cheeks and you were just so close, it wouldn’t take much for his lips to brush against yours. Ian wondered if you could hear how loudly his heart was drumming against his ribs.   
“(N-Name)?” Ian asked as he pressed his forehead against yours, “C-could I… Could I kiss you some time? N-not here, like this, but-”  
The door suddenly swung open, making Ian, whose hand had been supported by the door, fall out of the closet with a yelp. The small crowd looked from Ian to you, both of your faces were bright red as your eyes readjusted to the light.   
“Did you two even kiss?” A centaur girl asked before a loud booming voice came from the other room.  
“WHAT ARE ALL YOU KIDS DOING HERE?!”  
Ian quickly grabbed your hand, leading you into the crowd of teenagers that ran out of the house. You both looked around for Gabby and Avery, spotting them on the sidewalk as they frantically waved at you both.   
“I’m so sorry!” Avery said as you all ran down the street, “If I’d have known they weren’t supposed to have a party I wouldn’t have suggested coming!”

**Barley** :  
This was it. Today was the day! Barley was going to tell you how he felt and if everything went according to plan, you two would have your first kiss today! He had Quest of Yore all set up on the table, a special campaign all written out to lead you on an adventure that would end in his character declaring his love for your character. Only when that moment came, he would break character and confess his own feelings for you. It was going to be perfect! Laurel was at work and Ian was out with his friends. You both had the whole house to yourselves. Nothing could distract you both from this game!  
“Barley! Barley!” You cheered as you walked into the house.  
“Ah, good afternoon my princess!” He said with a bow as he motioned to the table, “Are you ready for an epic quest?”   
“Definitely!” You said, holding up your phone, “But first I have some funny videos to show you!”   
“Oh?” He gave you a curious look.  
“Yes! So remember that tiktok app I was telling you about?”   
“Yeah,” He said, “The one with all the random videos?”  
“Yes! There’s a Quest of Yore tiktok!”  
“What?” He chuckled.  
“Yeah! It’s all these people acting out campaigns they’ve done! Some even make full on stories out of their videos!”  
Barley was already set to start your own campaign, but he had to admit, he was very curious about the videos.  
“Okay,” He said, grabbing the bowl of popcorn from the table, “Let’s watch a few then start our own game.”  
You let out a small cheer as you followed Barley to the couch. You sat beside him, sinking back on the couch as you leaned over. What started out as a couple videos, turned into one more, then one more, for real just one more, until an hour had passed by. Barley had gotten sucked into the story the creator had made, so much so he didn’t realize you were fully leaned up against him. He had his arm draped over your shoulder, leaning against you as well, as if this were the most natural thing for you two.   
It wasn’t until you came to the end of the creators videos that he noticed how close you two were. When did he put his arm around you? Did you realize you were leaning into him as you found more videos? You were close enough he could smell the sweet scent of your shampoo mixed with the smell of coffee and cinnamon rolls from the little cafe you worked at. He couldn’t help noticing how warm you were against him. Is this what it’d be like if you two were a couple? Did you like cuddling? He let his mind wander to what you’d be doing now if you were dating.   
He could lean in, letting his lips brush against yours in a gentle kiss. He could run his hands through your hair, pulling you close as he kissed you deeper. He could-  
His train of thought stopped when you suddenly looked up at him, your eyes meeting his own hazel eyes. Did he honestly lean in without thinking? You were so close he could see every detail in the iris’s of your eyes. Barley felt as if his heart would burst out of his chest with each beat. He wasn’t sure when he had leaned in so close, but you weren’t pulling away. Did this mean you could feel the same way about him?  
“Your eyes are gorgeous.” Barley breathed before glancing to your lips.  
Before you could respond, the back door swung open, startling both of you. The sound of miscellaneous objects falling over with a clatter came from the kitchen, letting you know exactly who it was before he came into the living room.  
“Oh, hey there kids.” Colt greeted, “I didn’t think anyone was home yet.”  
“Hey Colt,” You said with a small wave, “We’ve just been watching videos.”  
Before the centaur could reply, the front door swung open, Laurel walking in with a sigh.  
“Oh what a day.” She said before noticing you, “Oh, (Name)! How are you dear?”  
“Oh, I’m good. Rough day?” You asked.  
Barley couldn’t help smiling as he watched you talk with his mom. He may not have been able to tell you how he felt tonight, but he was determined to try again later.


	7. Confessions

**Ian** :   
A couple days had passed since the party and you and Ian hadn’t had a chance to talk about his question. It was driving him crazy! You hadn’t asked your aunt if you could go to the party and since the party wasn’t supposed to happen to begin with, you had been grounded for the weekend. It was finally Monday though and Ian felt his heart leap into his throat when you walked into your home room.   
“H-hey!” He greeted you with a small wave.   
“Hey!” You smiled, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks, “Sorry about this weekend. I wanted to talk to you-“   
The teacher walked in, interrupting you as they began writing on the black board, “Alright kids, you all are going to take this time to study. I don’t care what subject it is, but you’re going to read. The scores from your finals weren’t where your teachers were hoping they’d be. So they’ve requested this week's home room to be dedicated to studying.”   
“Let’s talk during break.” You whispered.   
~~~  
 _Meet me in the stairwell behind the library._ That’s the text that was on your phone. Typically that stairwell was always empty since it was the back of the library and it was usually locked. You walked up the stairs, turning the corner of the first platform before you saw Ian pacing on the second platform.   
“H-hey (Name).” He nervously said when he saw you.   
“Hey.” You said, feeling your heart skip a beat.   
Ian bit his lip, looking around nervously before he spoke, “So, uh, y-you remember what I asked? A-at the party I mean.”  
“Yeah,” You said, remembering the feeling from that moment.   
His hands were on either side of you, he was close enough you felt his breath on your cheek, you felt the heat from his cheeks in your palms, and then he asked if he could kiss you. You mentally screamed at whoever had opened the closet door before you could answer. As if that wasn’t bad enough, you had to be grounded for the weekend, leaving you to think of that moment over and over again.   
“(Name),” Ian said, his heart rivaling the speed of a hummingbird as he began to fidget, “I-I like you a lot. I… D-do you want- I mean would you, maybe, want to go out… with me?”  
A wide smile spread across your face and you threw your arms around his neck as you tightly hugged him, “Of course!”  
“R-really?!” He sighed in relief as he returned the hug.   
“Yes!” You laughed.   
You were both so happy, you leaned in to kiss Ian’s cheek, but at the same time he had turned to say something, leading you to accidentally kiss half of his lips. Both of you stepped away from each other, faces bright red as you quickly muttered an apology.   
“You don’t have to apologize.” Ian said, gently taking your hand, “I-I was actually going to ask if I could kiss you?”  
A small smile crossed your face as you nodded at the young elf. Ian smiled, gently cupping your cheek with his free hand as he leaned in. His lips gently brushed yours in a quick peck, as if he were testing before claiming your lips again. This time, his warm lips lingered against yours in a slow, sweet kiss. He hesitantly pulled away, looking into your eyes as a shy smile spread on his face.   
The bell rang, making both of you jump. Both of you laughed, Ian pressing his forehead against yours as he sighed.  
“Can I walk you to your class?” He asked.   
“Yeah.” You nodded before taking his hand.   
Ian gently squeezed your hand, lacing his fingers with yours as you two made your way down the stairs. 

**Barley** :  
“Wait, wait, wait.” Jonny said, contemplating what Barley had told him, “So, it’s a date, but not a date?”  
“No,” Barley said, “I’m going to surprise her with tickets to the new musical that just started. She’s been really excited about it. After that, I’ll suggest we go get something to eat, then when I take her back home that’s when I’ll ask her out.”   
“Dude, that just sounds like a pre-date date.” Jonny said.   
“Whatever, she’s going to love it!” Barley said with a grin.   
“So what’s the musical?” Jonny asked.   
“Beetlejuice.” Barley replied, “I’m not really sure what it’s about, but if (Name)’s excited about it, that’s all that matters.”  
“Dude I think you're the one that’s in for a surprise.” Jonny snickered.   
~~~  
Jonny was right, Barley definitely was surprised it was a musical about death, but he had to admit, the songs were catchy. He was more happy over how excited you were when he showed you the tickets. You literally jumped and hugged him, thanking him over and over before you ran to your room to get ready.   
Now here you were, sitting together in the dark theater, arms touching on the shared armrests as the actors danced and sang on the brightly lit stage. Feeling the warmth of your arm against his made Barley wonder if you’d be okay with holding hands during the show. Barley bit his lip, thinking it over for a moment before reaching for your hand. You glanced over, Barley smiled at you as he gently wrapped his hand around yours. You smiled back at him, squeezing his hand as you let yourself lean against him. Barley felt as if his heart was doing flips as he leaned against you too.   
This was it, this was really happening! You had to return his feelings too if you were somewhat cuddling like this in the theater, right? When the show was over, Barley led the way back to his van. He smiled and laughed, happy to hear you gushing over how much you loved the musical.   
“Hey, are you hungry?” Barley asked, “We could go to Flo’s if you want.”  
You paused as Barley opened the van door for you, “Can I ask you something Barley?”  
“What’s up?” He asked.   
“Is this a date?”  
Barley could feel the heat rise in his cheeks. He hadn’t expected you to ask, let alone cut right to the point.   
“Well, uh,” He suddenly felt very flustered, “D-Do you want it to be?”  
You smiled, stepping closer to him as you said, “Well, considering I kinda got a crush on you, I wouldn’t mind that.”  
You were positive Barley could hear your heart slamming in your chest. You couldn’t believe you finally told him how you felt, but considering this felt like a date and the fact he held your hand during the show, not to mention whatever that was Colt interrupted the other day, Barley had to have feelings for you too, right?  
Barley couldn’t believe what was happening. Here you were, blushing as you said you have a crush on him! That was all he needed to hear. He stood in front of you, a wide grin on his face as he gently cupped your cheeks and claimed your lips. His lips were slightly chapped, but still soft and warm. You leaned into the kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck. Barley pulled away for a second before reclaiming your lips as he slowly ran his hands into your hair.   
When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours, looking deep into your eyes as a wide smile returned to his lips, “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”  
You laughed, cupping his cheek, “Yeah? We could always talk about it at Flo’s?”  
“Deal!” He beamed, pulling away and bowing in front of your door, “Your chariot, my princess.”  
“Thank you, my knight!” You laughed.


	8. Bonus: What’s in his phone

**Ian’s phone:**  
_Before dating_  
-Your name: (Name) 🧁 - a cupcake emoji after your name cause you always seemed to have cupcakes.  
-Contact pic: a selfie of you you had sent him with your favorite Snapchat filter.  
-Common texts: “Good morning!” “How are you?” “How’s your day going?” “Good night, I hope you sleep well!”  
-When he usually texts: Usually on the weekends, but during the weekdays he’ll text between classes and after school. It isn’t unusual for you both to text one another before bed.  
_After dating_  
-Your name: Love 💝  
-Contact pic: a selfie of the two of you with you kissing his cheek.  
-Common texts: “Good morning beautiful!” “How’s your day going?” “Have you ate yet?” “Sleep well love, good night!”  
-When he usually texts: Usually first thing in the morning and before bed. Aside from that he texts like he usually did. 

**Barley’s phone:**  
_Before dating_  
-Your name: M’lady  
-Contact pic: a pic of you trying out a cosplay for the first time.  
-Common texts: “Good morning m’lady!” “Check out this video!” “How’s work going?” “Sweet dreams!”  
-When he usually texts: Typically during breakfast and before bed. It really depends on the day, if he’s working he’ll text on his breaks or if you're working he’ll wait for you to text him.  
_After dating_  
-Your name: My Princess ❤️  
-Contact pic: a selfie of you two kissing  
-Common texts: “Good morning my princess!” “Have a good day!” “Did you drink some water?” “Sweet dreams my beautiful princess!”  
-When he usually texts: It would be the same as before you started dating.


	9. When he gets jealous

**Ian** :  
You and Ian had been dating for almost two weeks now. It was a weekend like any other, but one thing was different. You were really preoccupied with your phone. Someone was texting you and whoever it was was making you grin and act all excited. Ian had very mixed feelings about this. On one hand, he was happy you were so happy, but on the other hand he wanted to know who it was that was making you so happy. Why wasn’t it him? Ian was not a fan of this feeling.   
“Who are you texting?” Ian asked, trying to sound as casual as he could.   
“Oh, it’s Luke.” You said with a smile, “He’s coming into town for a week and he should be here soon!”  
Luke? Who was Luke again? Ian remembered you talking about him, he was someone from New Urban, but he couldn’t remember who he was. Was that the guy you used to hang out with all the time? Ian felt his chest grow tight, were you really that excited to see this guy?   
“Th-that’s great.” Ian said, trying to be supportive, “Where’s he staying?”  
“Here, of course,” You laughed, “What, do you think my aunt’s going to make him get a hotel room or something?”  
Ian forced a laugh, trying to pretend he was okay with that, but inside he was freaking out. After you two started dating, your aunt had made it clear she did want Ian staying over later than 8:30 on school nights and 9:00 on weekends, unless Laurel was over too. This Luke guy could stay the night though? Granted, he was from out of town and not just a mile away like Ian was, but still.   
“(Name)!” Your aunt called, “Come hell me for a minute!”   
“Coming!” You called, “I’ll be right back.”  
“Okay.” Ian replied as you kissed his cheek.   
You had left your phone behind, the text tone catching Ian’s attention. He didn’t mean to look, but hearing a cell go off, it was only natural, or maybe habit, to look over. There in the text notification was Luke’s name and a small emoji heart he had sent. Why was this guy sending you hearts?! Ian wanted to look, but knew he shouldn’t. He bit his lip, looking around your room as he wondered how he should bring this up. He knew you wouldn’t cheat on him, but what was going on?  
“Sorry about that.” You said, walking back in the room.   
“No problem,” Ian said, glancing around the room, “So, you and Luke, a-are you two close?”  
“Well yeah.” You said with a curious look, “Probably as close as you and Barley are. Why?”  
A horn honking outside caught his attention.   
You squealed loudly, “He’s here! I’m so excited for you two to meet!”  
You grabbed Ian by the hand, leading him out to the front yard. To his surprise, Luke was a grown man. He looked like he was in his early thirties. Why was a grown man sending you heart emojis? You couldn’t have a thing for older guys, right?  
“There she is!” Luke said in a booming voice, spreading his arms wide.   
You let go of Ian, leaping into Luke’s arms as the man twirled you around in a big hug. When he set you down, you grabbed him by his sleeve, leading him to Ian.   
“Luke, this is my boyfriend Ian. Ian, this is Luke.” You beamed.   
“So you’re the guy that stole my baby sisters heart!” Luke grinned as he wrapped Ian into a tight hug.   
Sister? _Baby sister?!_ That’s when it hit him. You had mentioned before that you were from a big family. How could he forget that you were the youngest of seven kids and Luke was your second oldest brother? A wave of relief washed over Ian as your brother set him down.   
“I better go say hi to auntie.” Luke said, waving as he went into the house.   
“You okay?” You asked with a smile.  
“Yeah, yeah.” Ian said, brushing his hoody down, “I don’t know why, I was thinking Luke was our age.”  
“Really?” You gave Ian a curious look when a thought came to you, “Oh! I think you were thinking of Lucas!”  
“Oh!” It clicked. That must have been it! Lucas was one of your guy friends you had told him about before. That must be who he was thinking about.   
“Wait,” You said looking at him, “Were you jealous?”  
“What?” Ian asked, his voice cracking as he looked away and cleared his throat, “Me? W-why would I be jealous?”  
You couldn’t help smiling as you put your hands on his shoulders, “Well, I’m glad you weren’t jealous. Cause there’s no reason for you to be jealous since you’re the only one for me.”  
You gave him a quick peck on the cheek, making him blush and smile.   
“You’re the only one for me too.” He said, kissing your forehead. 

**Barley** :   
He knew you knew this guy from New Urban, but he didn’t remember how you knew him. However, Barley did know he wasn’t thrilled with how much this guy made you laugh. You two were snickering over some joke, something about unicorns and sprinkles, and Barley had to admit it. He was jealous.   
He had stopped by the cafe you were working at, he was all set to surprise you, but he was the one surprised to see you laughing with some guy he didn’t know. When you introduced them you introduced Barley as your boyfriend, which did make him feel a little better, but all he knew was this guy's name was Corey.   
A customer walked in, you greeted them before turning to the guys, “I’ll be right back.”  
“So,” Barley said, turning to Corey, “Have you known (Name) long?”  
“Oh yeah,” Corey grinned, “We’ve known each other our whole lives!”  
Well that didn’t make him feel any better.   
“That’s great!” Barley said, trying to smile.   
“Yeah,” Corey replied, “There was this one time when we were kids…”  
Barley listened as Corey told him stories about your childhood. He had very mixed feelings about it. He was happy to hear about it, but at the same time he wished he could have been the one there to make the memories with you.   
“Oh oh!” Corey continued, “Then there was the time (Name) and Dad pranked Mom!”  
“Wait, (Name) and your dad pranked your mom?” Barley gave him a confused look.   
Why would you team up with your friend's dad to prank his mom?  
“Oh yeah!” Corey laughed, “Uncle Luke was a perfect distraction for them.”   
Wait, wasn’t one of your brothers named Luke?  
“What’s your dads name?” Barley asked, suddenly realizing who he was talking to.   
“Walter, but everyone calls him Walley.” Corey replied, “Why?”  
Barley felt so dumb in that moment. This guy he was jealous of was the oldest son of your oldest brother. Your nephew! You two were close in age cause your brother was fifteen years older than you and he was a young father.   
As if realizing something had just clicked for Barley, Corey started laughing.   
“You didn’t realize I was her nephew, did you?”  
“I’m sorry.” Barley said, feeling a little embarrassed.   
“Oh, don’t be.” Corey said, still laughing, “I can’t tell you how many times people thought we were dating back in school.”   
“Really?” Barley asked.  
“Yeah, in grade school everyone thought we were siblings. Then once we got in junior high it went from siblings to dating. I can’t tell you how many girlfriends got jealous when they first met her, all cause they assumed.” Corey said, playfully nudging Barley.   
“In my defense,” Barley said, “I forgot how big your family is.”  
“Don’t worry about it.” Corey grinned, “And you don’t need to worry (Name), all she ever talks about is you.”  
“Really?” Barley asked, a little surprised about that.  
“Oh yeah! And I won’t tell her you got jealous.”  
“Thanks man.” Barley smiled. “So tell me more about this pranking she did.”


	10. Bonus: How he kisses

**Ian** :  
_Beginning of the relationship:_  
Ian’s more on the shy side when it comes to kissing in public. Most times he’ll either kiss the back of your hand, your forehead, or maybe your cheek. When it’s just the two of you, the first couple times he’ll ask if he can kiss you, but once he’s more comfortable, he’ll give you a gentle kiss on the lips. It’s not slow, but it’s not quick, it’s just a simple sweet kiss.  
_A few months in:_  
He’s still a little shy with the public kisses, but he gets comfortable enough to give you a quick kiss on the lips when no ones looking. When it’s just the two of you, he gets more confident that he’s more than an okay kisser, so he lets his kisses linger a bit.  
_Half a year or longer in:_  
Public kisses are still the same, but when you're alone, this guy is starting to figure out making out and he’s a flustered mess. Which only makes him more flustered. Once he’s more confident with it though, he’ll kiss slowly and deep, eventually trailing kisses from your cheek, to your jaw, and maybe down your neck before he starts getting too flustered again.  
_If he accidentally gives you a hickey:_  
Ian is a blushing mess. He didn’t intend on going that far and now he’s trying to figure out how to help you hide it while apologizing profusely.

**Barley** :  
_Beginning of the relationship:_  
Barley is an affectionate guy. When it comes to kissing in public, he typically sticks with kisses on the cheek or maybe a quick kiss on the lips, depending on who's around. When it’s just the two of you though, he likes long, slow, gentle kisses.  
_A few months in:_  
His public kisses are still the same, only he may take a chance now and then to pull you off to the side and give you a longer kiss on the lips. When it’s just the two of you, he still goes for the long, slow kisses, but they may not be as gentle. That’s not to say he’s rough, but you definitely start to see a bit more passion. Especially when he tries testing the waters by sucking or gently nipping your bottom lip.  
_Half a year or longer in:_  
Public kisses are still going to be the same, but they’ll include forehead kisses at this point. When you’re on your own though, what starts off as a couple kisses can easily turn into a heated make out session with deep, passionate kisses. He’ll kiss your face, neck, and collar bone before returning to sweet, gentle kisses.  
_If he accidentally gives you a hickey:_  
Barley is surprised he actually left a mark, he is apologetic though. Thank goodness he’s got makeup from different cosplays he’s attempted. He’s bound to have the right shade to cover that up for you.


	11. First fight

**Ian:**  
“Love, I’m just tutoring her.” Ian said as he followed you down the hall.   
“Why can’t someone else tutor her?” You asked, spinning around to face him.   
“Why is it such a big deal?” Ian asked.   
“Cause she likes you!” You snapped, “How can you not see she has feelings for you?!”  
“What?” Ian gave you a surprised look, “Tammy’s doesn’t think of me that way.”  
“Yes, she does.” You said, “Did you not see the way she was trying to flirt with you?”  
“She’s just a girl in my math class, why would she flirt with me when she knows we’re dating?” Ian asked, “Besides, don’t you trust me?”  
“Of course I trust you. It’s her I don’t trust!” You said.   
“That makes no sense.” Ian argued, “I don’t know why you’re so upset with me. All we’re going to do is study math!”  
The bell rang and you let out a sigh, “Fine, go tutor her. Whatever happens, don’t tell me in a text.”  
“We’re just studying!” Ian called after you as you stormed away.   
~~~  
“What’s wrong Ian?” Tammy asked, scooting her chair a little closer to him, “You seemed distracted.”  
“I’m sorry,” Ian said, “(Name) and I just had our first fight.”  
“Oh, that’s too bad.” Tammy said, “What happened?”  
“It’s nothing.” Ian said, waving his hand, “We should get back to the problem.”  
“Oh, you mean this one?” Tammy asked, leaning against him.  
Ian flinched when he felt her shoulder against his. Why did she get that close? He moved the book closer to her as he shifted away from her.   
“Y-yeah, that one.” He said, “Now what you want to do-”  
“Your fight wasn’t because of me, was it?” Tammy asked.  
Ian felt his cheeks heat up as he stared at her, “H-how-”   
“I’m surprised she doesn’t trust you more.” Tammy said, “I mean, if you were my boyfriend, I wouldn’t be so insecure.”  
“What?” Ian stared at her in disbelief.   
“Oh my gosh, did I say that out loud?” Tammy blushed as she looked away.  
You were right, Tammy did like Ian. How did he not see that?  
“L-listen, Tammy, maybe you should find a different tutor.” Ian said as he started to gather his things.  
“What? Why?” She asked as she watched him.  
“Tammy,” Ian asked, “D-do you like me?”  
“Yeah, I do.” Tammy admitted.  
“You know I’m with (Name) though.” He said, “So what are you doing?”  
“I’m just studying with you.” Tammy said with a smile, “If that bothers (Name) so much then I’d say she doesn’t trust you.”  
This is what you were talking about. This is why you were upset at the thought of him tutoring someone who liked him. Now he knew what you meant by trusting him and not her. If your roles were reversed, if you were with someone he knew was going to hit on you, he would be uncomfortable too. Not because of how you’d respond, but because you were put into that situation.  
“She trusts me.” Ian said, “But this is exactly why we can’t trust you.”  
“What?” Tammy asked.   
“Tammy, (Name) and I have been together for a few months now. She’s the one I want to be with.” Ian said, “I’m sorry if that hurts your feelings, but I can’t tutor you if this is how you’re going to act.”  
“You really love her, don’t you?” Tammy asked as she started to pick up her things.  
“L-love?” Ian asked, his face turning red.  
Neither one of you had said “I love you” yet, and sure, he called you love, but that was different, right?  
“I’m sorry, Ian.” Tammy muttered, “I just… I don’t know what I was thinking would happen, but maybe I should have a different tutor.”  
Ian was grateful Tammy accepted that. Judging by the complete turn around in her actions, it was safe to assume she felt a little embarrassed that things didn’t work the way she thought it would. Ian pulled out his phone, sending you a text apologizing and asking if you could talk after class.  
~~~  
When the bell rang, Ian hurried to your class. You hadn’t replied to his text, so maybe you hadn’t read it yet. When he saw you in the hallway though, he knew something had to be wrong. You had looked at him and hurried the other way. Before he could catch up to you, he felt someone grab his arm.  
“What the heck is going on?” Gabby asked.  
“Why’d (Name) take off like that?” Ian asked.  
“Why do you think?” Gabby asked, sounding irritated.  
“What are you mad at me for?” Ian asked as he gave the elf girl a confused look.  
The bell rang again, making Gabby sigh, “Let’s talk in class.”  
Once they had gotten settled in their english class, Gabby turned to face Ian.  
“So let me get this straight.” Gabby said, “You go and tutor a girl you know is interested in you, even though it makes (Name) uncomfortable-”  
“I didn’t know Tammy liked me.” Ian said.  
“Let me finnish.” Gabby continued, “You do that, then you send a text that says ‘I’m so sorry, can we talk after class?’ and that’s it?!”  
Oh shantars talon, that sounded so bad out of context.  
“That’s not how I meant it to sound!” Ian exclaimed.   
The class turned and looked at the now blushing elf. When everyone went back to what they were doing, Gabby turned her attention back to him.  
“I figured that was the case, but do you think I could convince (Name)?” Gabby said, “She’s scared that you’re wanting to break up with her. She was already upset that she fought with you, then you hit her with that.”   
“What do I do?” Ian asked.  
Gabby pulled a large bar of chocolate from her bag and handed it to Ian.  
“I was going to save that for later, but I think you need this more.” She said, “Give it to (Name). It’s not going to fix things, but it’s a start.”  
~~~  
It was the last class of the day, and you had received several texts from Ian asking to talk to you once school let out. You were scared he was going to break up with you, but you knew you’d have to face him at some point. Once class let out, you went to meet him at the same stairwell you had your first kiss.   
“(Name)!” Ian met you halfway down the stairs, “I’m so sorry how that text came off. I don’t want to break up!”  
“You don’t?” You asked, surprised but relieved.   
“No!” Ian said, pulling you into a hug, “And I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you.”  
“I’m sorry I got so jealous.” You said, returning the hug.   
“Jealous?” Ian gave you a confused look, “Why would you be jealous?”  
You blushed reluctantly looking at him, “I may need a math tutor too.”  
Ian laughed, kissing your forehead, “Next time just tell me.”  
“Alright.” You muttered.   
“Oh,” Ian pulled away, digging through his bag till he pulled out the large bar of chocolate, “This is for you. Mainly to say sorry, but also you were right.”  
“What happened?” You asked, taking the chocolate.   
“Well, I talked to Tammy, she apologized, and she’s going to get a new tutor.” Ian explained.  
“Really?” You gave him a surprised look.   
“Yeah.” He nodded, “Why don’t we go to my place and I can tutor you instead?”  
“Alright.” You smiled as Ian put his arm around your shoulder. 

**Barley:**  
“Look, I’m sorry, but I wanted to go spend some time with my friends.” Barley said.  
“And that’s fine,” You replied, “Go ahead and see your friends. That’s great if you do, but I’m just saying don’t blow me off for them.”  
“I didn’t blow you off!” Barley snapped.  
“Yes you did!” You snapped back, “I thought we were going to so see the new Quest of Yore live action movie on opening night. You said you’d meet me there after I got off work.”  
“When did I say that?” Barley asked, “Yeah we were going to watch the movie together, but why would I meet you there and not pick you up?”  
“Cause I asked if you wanted to meet there so you didn’t have to drive from one end of town to the other!”   
This was the first time you two had fought. Both of you felt like you were in the right, and with both of you being as stubborn as you were, neither of you wanted to admit you could be wrong. The fact that you both had hurt feelings didn’t help anything, if anything it added to the growing tension between you two.  
“Why would I care about that?” Barley asked, unaware he had started to raise his voice. “Since when has picking you up ever been a problem?”  
“Don’t raise your voice at me.” You said sternly.  
“I’m not!”  
“Yes you are!” You snapped, “I’m sorry I tried to save you some gas so you could get to work!”   
“Hey! Hey!” Laurel walked into the room, “What’s going on in here?”   
Laurel had just gotten home from work to find you both arguing in the living room. You felt embarrassed she saw you like that. It was one thing for Barley to see that side of you, but you weren’t ready for his mom to see that.   
“Text me when you calm down.” You sighed before grabbing your things and walking out the door.   
“(Name) wait!” Barley tried to stop you before Laurel grabbed his shoulder.  
“Let her go,” She said, “Tell me what’s going on.”  
Barley sighed, running a hand over his face as he fell back on the couch.   
“Mom, did you and dad ever fight?” Barley asked.   
“Oh, of course we did!” Laurel said as she sat beside him, “That’s bound to happen in any relationship.”   
“What’d you do?” Barley asked.   
“We’d give ourselves some time to cool down if we had to, then we’d tell each other how we felt.”  
“But what if you didn’t do anything?” Barley asked.   
“Well, sometimes we do things without realizing it.” Laurel replied, resting her hand on his arm, “Like raising our voices.”  
“But I didn’t-“  
“Barley, I heard you both outside.” Laurel said.   
Barley stared at his mom for a moment, guilt washing over his as he sighed and slumped back.   
“She’s going to dump me, isn’t she?” He asked, his chest aching at the thought.   
“Oh, honey, she won’t break up with you over something like this.” Laurel said with a hug, “Why don’t I make something to eat and you can tell me the whole situation. Maybe I can help?”  
Barley explained how you had waited in front of the movie theater for an hour while he had been out with his friends. They had gotten caught up in a video game they were playing and he hadn’t heard his phone when you tried to call. The only message you had left was one with you sounding mad as you told him to call when he was “done with whatever was more important” than you.   
“I would have remembered planning a date with her.” Barley said, biting into the sandwich Laurel passed him. “We talked about seeing the movie opening night, but we never set a time.”  
“Barley, were you on your phone when you two were talking about that?” Laurel asked.   
“Yeah,” Barley said, “I was looking up the times for the movie then I got side tracked with an article about the behind the scenes work with it.”  
“Are you sure that’s the only thing you got side tracked from?” Laurel asked, “I remember a few times where I’d ask you to do something while you were on your phone and you sounded like you heard me, but then you didn’t remember me asking.”  
Barley groaned, running his hands through his hair, “I’m a terrible boyfriend.”  
“No you’re not.” Laurel smiled, “You two are still figuring things out. Besides, it takes two to have a relationship. (Name) could have left you more than one message. She also could have double checked you were still going to the movies tonight.”  
“I don’t want her to have to double check on a date though.” Barley said.   
“Then that’s something for the two of you to talk about.” Laurel said with a smile, “I think she should have calmed down by now, why don’t you try to go find her?”  
~~~   
You were sitting in the backyard of your aunts house, not really paying attention to anything in particular as you played with the grass. You were hurt that Barley didn’t remember your date, but at the same time, you felt bad about the voicemail you left him. Not to mention raising your voice at him. You sighed, wondering if this meant he was going to break up with you. The thought made your heart ache enough you felt like you’d burst into tears.   
“Please don’t cry.” Barley said as he sat beside you.   
“I-I’m not crying.” You said looking away as you blinked several times.   
There was a moment of silence between the two of you before you turned to Barley.  
“I don’t want to break up over this.” You said.  
“Whoa, whoa, princess.” Barley said, wrapping you up in a tight hug, “We’re not going to break up. That’s the last thing I want.”   
“Alright,” You said, hugging him tightly, “I’m sorry I was such a b-“  
“Hey,” Barley said as he pulled away, “Don’t call yourself that. Besides, I should apologize too. We were starting to talk about a date and I got side tracked with my phone. I’m sorry about that. I know it doesn’t really make up for it, but I got you these.”   
Barley handed you a small bouquet of flowers he had hidden behind his back.   
“Oh,” You took the flowers with a smile, “Thank you Barley.”  
“Anything for my princess.” He said, leaning over and kissing your forehead. “How about we have that date tomorrow night?”  
“Sounds good to me, my knight.” You leaned over and kissed his cheek.


	12. Cuddling

**Ian:**  
You and Ian were sitting in the large arm chair in your aunt's living room, you were sitting between his legs with your back against him and your text book propped up on your knees. You shifted your feet on the footstool as you adjusted your notebook. Ian had one arm around your waist, his free hand pointing to the equations as he walked you through them. Once you had finished the last problem, he nodded with a smile.  
“There you go.” He said, kissing your cheek, “Just remember those steps and you shouldn’t have any more problems.”  
“Thank you, babe.” You smiled, giving him a quick kiss on the lips.  
“Any time, Love.” He replied, pressing his forehead to your head.  
“Wanna watch some videos?” You asked, pulling your phone out of your pocket.  
“Sure.”   
You set your books aside, repositioning and resting your head against his shoulder and Ian resting his head against your own. You opened the tiktok app, scrolling through the different videos as Ian kept his arms around you, gently tracing his fingers over your wrists and forearm.   
This was one of Ian’s favorite ways to cuddle with you. Any time he was able to have you in his arms he enjoyed, but cuddled up like this was the best. He also liked it when you two would cuddle on the couch and watch whatever show. He’d have his arm draped over your shoulder, you leaning in with your head resting on his shoulder and a hand on his knee. There were also the times he’d be half laying on the couch, you laying against him with your head on his chest. Now and then when you two were at school, you’d sit on the stairs with your friends and you would sit behind Ian with your arms around his shoulders. At first he was a little embarrassed with that one, but after he got more used to your relationship he actually enjoyed that one.  
He had never thought much about cuddling before, but now that he was with you, he wouldn’t mind cuddling more often. 

**Barley:**  
There was no denying it, Barley was a cuddle bug. Whenever you suggested cuddling up for a movie, he was always all for it. Just like tonight, the two of you cuddled up on your bed, which was a pull out sofa in your aunts den, but it was still comfortable. Barley was behind you, a strong arm wrapped around your waist as he held you close to him. You were watching Lord of the Rings, but Barley wasn’t paying much attention. Instead he was lost in his own day dream, wondering if this was what it would be like if you two lived together  
You two could come home from work, take turns making dinner, and at the end of the day you could cuddle before bed. He could see it now, laying in bed with you, holding you as he rested his head on your chest and listened to your heart beating. You would play with his hair and the two of you would talk about your days. Or maybe you could be the one laying your head on his chest and he would rub your shoulder or back. Honestly he didn’t mind how you two would cuddle, he just enjoyed the closeness with you.   
“Is my knight feeling okay?” You asked, looking back at him.   
“Huh?” Barley blinked, coming out of his daze, “I’m sorry princess, what’s up?”  
You rolled over to face him, brushing his hair out of his eyes, “You okay?”  
“Yeah,” He smiled, running his hand up your back, “I guess I was just daydreaming.”  
“About what?” You asked.   
“Have you ever wondered what it’d be like if we lived together?” He asked, quickly adding when he saw your surprised expression, “I’m not saying like if we moved in together tomorrow. Just like, some time down the road?”  
You stopped and thought for a minute. After all, the thought had crossed your mind before, but you thought it was too soon and didn’t want to freak Barley out.   
“I think it would be nice.” You said with a smile.   
“Yeah?” Barley grinned, “Would you rather stay in an apartment or a house?”  
“A house would be nice, but I think an apartment would be a good starter.” You said.   
Barley pulled you closer, his smile growing as you two talked about possibly living together some day.


	13. Joining Jonny’s Band

“Please, please, please!” Jonny begged as you handed him his coffee.  
Your shift was almost over and Barley and Jonny had come to pick you up. Earlier that day Barley had shown Jonny the video your sister had sent him, the one of you singing with a small band back in New Urban. After watching it, Jonny was determined to make you the lead singer of his band.  
“I dunno.” You said, wiping the counter down, “I mean, we both work. When would we have time to even practice?”  
“So?” Jonny grinned, “Gretel works and Ben’s at Willowdale. We just work around each other's schedules.”  
“Come on, princess!” Barley grinned, “You’ve got an amazing voice! Go for it!”  
You watched them, mulling over the idea. Honestly, you loved performing, but this was your boyfriend's best friend’s band. What if it didn’t work out? Would it put Barley in a bad position?  
“So what happens if it doesn’t work out?” You asked, “I’m not trying to be pessimistic or anything. I just don’t want to cause any drama.”  
“You won’t!” Jonny assured you, “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. No hard feelings, no drama.”   
You glanced to Barley who nodded enthusiastically.   
“I’ll make you a deal.” Jonny offered, “There’s a battle of the bands in a couple weeks. Just perform with us for one song and we’ll go from there. Deal?”  
You bit your bottom lip, thinking it over before you nodded, “Okay, one song.”  
“Yeesss!!!” The cyclops cheered, pumping his fist into the air.  
“You’re going to be amazing!” Barley grinned.  
~~~  
Later that night, you were sitting in Jonny’s garage with Barley, Jonny, and Ben. You all were waiting for Gretel to get off work so you both could meet before you officially joined the band.  
“Gretel should be here any time now.” Ben said, glancing to his phone, “I’m so excited to hear you sing! Jonny’s been talking it up all day!”  
“So no pressure then?” You said giving Jonny a playful push.  
“Girl, with that voice you’ve got no worries.” Jonny grinned, “Your voice will be perfect with our sound!”  
“I can’t wait to hear it!” Barley grinned, hugging you close. “You guys are going to blow them all away!”  
“Sorry I’m late!” A blonde centaur girl said as she entered the side door of the garage.   
“Gretel! Perfect!” Jonny cheered, “This is (Name), Barley-boy’s girlfriend and potentially our new lead singer! (Name), this is Gretel!”   
“Oh! You’re the girl from the video!” Gretel smiled as she shook your hand, “It’s great to finally meet you!”  
“You too.” You smiled.  
“I figure with how late it’s getting we’re not going to do any actual playing, but I figured this would be a good time to get to know each other before practicing!” Jonny said.  
You learned that Barley had gone to school with all three of them and that he had been friends with Jonny since the third grade. Jonny was twenty one, working with Barley at the comic shop, and he played guitar in the band. Ben was twenty, studying to become a kindergarten teacher, and played the drums in the band. Gretel was also twenty, she worked at a cellphone store, and she played the bass.   
You told them how you were twenty also, you were working at the cafe that surprisingly was near Gretel’s work, and you told them how you had moved to New Mushroomton with your little sister and were living with your aunt now.  
“I would love to be from a big family.” Gretel said, “It’s just me and my dad. It must be nice.”  
“For the most part it is,” You said, “But everyone’s always in each other’s business.”  
“Yeah?” Ben asked.   
“Oh yeah.” You laughed, “I told my aunt Barley and I were dating and then next thing I knew my phone was blowing up with messages from my siblings asking all kinds of questions about him!”  
“I still can’t wait to meet them all.” Barley said, wrapping an arm around you, “So far I’ve only met your two oldest brothers and one nephew.”  
“And their names?” You asked teasingly.  
“Luke, Walley, and Walley’s oldest son, Corey.” Barley grinned.  
“Correct!” You grinned, “Just wait until the family reunion though.”  
“I can go to that?” Barley asked with a surprised look.  
“Well yeah.” You said, “Everyone can’t wait to meet you.”  
“Awww.” Jonny, Ben, and Gretel cooed.  
The five of you laughed and talked well into the night before Barley noticed the time.  
“Oh geez!” He said, “We better get you home before your aunt starts to worry.”  
“Yeah,” You agreed, “She knows we’re together, so she won’t be too worried, but still.”  
You two said your goodbyes to everyone before Barley drove you home.  
“I’m glad you all get along so well.” Barley said.  
“Same here.” You agreed, “Do you really think it’s a good idea for me to sing with them?”  
“Why not?” Barley said with a smile, “I think you’ll all be great together. Are you still not sure about it?”  
“I feel a little better about it after talking with them tonight.” You said, “I think part of it is I just don’t know them super well.”  
“If it makes you feel any better, I could tell they loved you tonight.” Barley said, reaching over and squeezing your hand.  
“Thank you, my knight.” You said, squeezing back. “I liked them too.”  
After arriving at your aunts house, Barley leaned over, kissing your lips before saying “Sleep sweetly, my princess.”  
“You too, my knight.” You said, claiming his lips one more time before you left the van.  
Barley watched to make sure you got in the house okay before he drove away. He listened to the radio, not paying attention to the song as he got lost in his thoughts. He knew it by now, he loved you. This was more than some crush or infatuation. He was honestly, wholeheartedly in love with you. Now the question was how should he tell you? Was it even okay to tell you now? You two had been together for around five months now. Was that too soon? Would it scare you if he said it? He drove around aimlessly for a short while before he pulled into his driveway.   
“There you are.” Laurel said, looking to the clock, “I was just thinking about calling you.”   
“Sorry mom,” Barley replied, “Can I ask you something?”  
“Sure, is everything okay?” She asked.   
“Oh yeah,” Barley said, “I was just wondering, when did dad first tell you he loved you?”  
“Oh! Well,” She stopped and thought for a moment, “I think we had been together for a few months when he said it. Why?”  
“It didn’t freak you out? Like it didn’t seem like it was too soon?” Barley asked.   
“Every relationship is different Barley.” Laurel said with a smile, “You’ll know when the time is right.”  
~~~  
Between work, practice, and hanging out with Barley, the next couple weeks had flown by. Before you knew it, it was the day of the battle of the bands and you couldn’t recall the last time you’d felt so nervous. Gretel was at your aunts house with you, helping you get ready as the guys waited in the living room. You bit your bottom lip as she ran the soft brush across your eyelids.  
“Are you sure about this?” You asked, trying not to open your eyes.  
“Yes! Now hold still.” She laughed, “I knew these colors would be great on you. I just can’t wait to see Barley’s reaction.”  
“Yeah?” You questioned, “Does he like the dark makeup or something?”  
“I’m gonna do your eyeliner.” Gretel said before answering, “It’s not so much the makeup, but he definitely likes the rock style. He’s nuts about you to begin with honey, but seeing you look like a total rockstar babe, I think he may need help picking his jaw up off the floor.”  
You laughed, trying to hold still as best as you could. You typically didn’t do your makeup this way, but you wanted to look like you were a part of the band, so you gladly took Gretel’s help.  
“Okay, you can open your eyes.” Gretel stepped back, admiring her work, “Perfect! Now just your lips and you’re done!”  
After a couple minutes, Gretel squealed with delight. She clapped her hands together, obviously proud of her work as she handed you the small mirror. You were surprised to see how well the dark makeup accented your eyes. You almost didn’t recognize yourself, but at the same time there was something almost empowering with this new look.  
“So what do you think?” Gretel asked.  
“I love it!” You grinned, looking over her handiwork.  
“Great!” She beamed, “Now go get changed and I’ll see you in the living room with the guys.”  
You went into the bathroom, quickly changing into the black tank top and torn jeans. You looked yourself over once more in the mirror, amazed at how different you looked. You had to take this opportunity to snap a quick selfie before making your way out to the living room.  
There Barley had his back to the hallway, talking with Jonny and Ben as you entered the room.  
“Wow!” Jonny and Ben grinned. “(Name), you look great!”  
Barley turned to you and just as Gretel predicted, his jaw dropped. Barley always thought you were gorgeous no matter how you looked, but seeing you dressed up like this… He didn’t know where to start. Gretel grinned, throwing an arm around your shoulder.  
“I knew you’d make his jaw drop,” She said, “I didn’t know you’d make him speechless though. Good job!”  
You could feel yourself blush as the group laughed as they watched Barley clear his throat, “Y-you look great, princess.”  
“Thanks.” You smiled as you made a mental note to remember this look.  
“Well, that contest won’t win itself!” Ben cheered, “Let’s go!”  
You all piled into Barley’s van, talking over your performance before warming up your voices. You couldn’t help giggling over the vocal warm ups, after all you hadn’t heard them since your days in the high school choir. When you pulled up to the fairgrounds, everyone started to get out of the van, but Barley stopped you.  
“I know you’re going to be amazing, princess.” He said, “I want you to have this though, for good luck.”  
He pulled his spiked wristband off, wrapping it around your wrist before kissing your cheek.  
“Thank you, my knight.” You smiled, cupping his cheek as he pressed his forehead to yours.  
“Go knock ‘em dead!” He grinned, “I’ll see you after the contest.”  
You nodded, kissing his cheek before joining Jonny and the others. You felt the butterflies rising in your stomach as you passed the other bands. Hearing their different songs as they practiced, seeing what you were competing against, it only made you more nervous. As if on cue, your phone went off. You looked to see a text from Barley, ‘You got this!’ You smiled, feeling a little better after reading his message.   
“We can do this!” Jonny cheered, pulling his guitar from its case.  
“It looks like we’re going to be last.” Ben said, coming back from the line up list.  
“Really?” You asked, starting to feel nervous again.  
“Yeah.” Ben said, stretching his arms above his head, “I know that’s going to feel like a while, but trust me, it’ll fly by!”  
You were skeptical at first, but sure enough before you knew it, you guys were going to be next. You bounced in place, taking deep breaths as you tried to calm your nerves.  
“Hey, we can do this.” Gretel said, resting her hand on your shoulder.   
“That’s right.” Ben grinned, “Just have fun out there.”  
“Yeah!” Jonny said, putting his fist out to you, “We got this!”   
“Yeah!” You grinned, bumping your fist against his.   
You walked out on stage with all of them, the bright spot light blinding you at first. When your eyes focused, you saw the sea of people in front of the stage. It was one thing to try out for musicals, in musicals you played a part, but in this moment you were the real you. You, yourself, out in front of a hundred strangers' eyes. You could feel your heart drumming against your ribs as Jonny greeted the crowd and introduced your band. You could feel your mouth start to dry, but then you heard a familiar voice in the crowd. It was Barley, whooping and cheering, you couldn’t see him, but there was no denying that that was his voice. You took a breath, looking to the others as they all seemed to nod in agreement that they were ready.   
The guitar resonated over the crowd before the drums crashed into their rhythmic melody, the guitar quickly following. A moment later the bass joined in building to your cue. You took a deep breath, taking the mic as you let your voice ring out through the large arena.  
 _“I stood alone in Trafalgar Square. I looked around, I didn’t see you there. Before they closed the roads I made it down to Hyde. I just need you now, I need you by my side!”_  
You watched the crowd, watching them start to move and sway, different people bobbing their heads as the song continues. Your four voices harmonized for the chorus,  
 _“I know that there’s no other way, I know that there is nothing more that I can say. Make my black eyes blue. I fall for you!”_  
You couldn’t help grinning as you watched people beginning to jump, fists pumping in the air as they started to cheer. You took the mic from the stand, walking across the stage as you sang out, belting out your verse before the others joined you once again for the chorus. You looked to Jonny, Ben, and Grettle, wide smiles across their faces as they poured themselves into their performance. There was something about this feeling, this sensation flooding your senses, it was like electricity was flowing through your veins. Performing with everyone, the crowd cheering for all of you, it was such a rush! That’s when your eyes finally fell on him. There was Barley, in the middle of the crown, cheering loudly as he pumped his fist and bobbed his head with the music.   
You felt as if your heart was soaring as the guitar and bass began to duel, the drums keeping time as you danced with and between Jonny and Gretel. The crowd roared as you made your way back to the center, placing the mic back on the stand as you began to sing again, your voice rising over the crowd. You sang out the last verse, the others echoing vocals behind you as the song came to an end, the drums stopping and the guitar ringing out in a final note as silence fell over the audience.   
The crowd roared, cheering and whooping as you and the others were left panting and smiling as you tried to catch your breath. You all bowed before heading backstage again.  
“That was amazing!” Gretel cheered, “Tell me I wasn’t the only one that felt that!”  
“It was like bottling electricity!” Ben exclaimed.  
“(Name), you gotta be our singer!” Jonny said, “You were amazing out there!”  
“Me? What about you guys?!” You beamed as you watched the others.  
Meanwhile, out in the crowd, Barley was pushing his way through the people so he could get back stage. He felt as if his heart was replaced by a hummingbird. This was it, this was the moment he had to tell you that he loved you. There were several reasons why he loved you, but this, seeing your passion, that was one of the big reasons he loved you. He loved how passionate you were and seeing it in that performance only added to it. When he got backstage he saw you and his friends buzzing with excitement from your own performance.   
“You guys were great!” He cheered as he walked up.  
“Barley!” You leapt into his arms, giving him a kiss as he twirled you around.   
You all were only able to talk for a couple minutes before they announced the winner. Unfortunately, you didn’t come in first, but you did come in second. You all were still pretty happy with that, especially hearing how close it was.  
“We’ll just have to try again next year!” Jonny said.   
~~~  
Barley drove everyone home, and after saying goodbye to Jonny and Ben, you sank back in the passenger seat.   
“How’s my rock star princess doing?” Barley asked with a grin.   
“I’m tired, but not tired.” You replied, turning to him, “Does that make any sense?”  
“Yes it does.” He laughed, “Do you want to come over?”  
“Sure!”  
After getting to Barley’s house, and saying hello to Ian and Laurel, the two of you went into Barley’s room. Barley turned on the radio and he couldn’t have picked a better song to be playing.   
_‘Lost in your light baby. I want to stay right here all night baby.’_  
“Do you remember this song?” Barley asked as he held his hand out.   
You paused, laughing when you realized the song as you took his hand, “This is the first song we danced to.”  
“That’s right.” He grinned, twirling you around before pulling you close to him, “I gotta say, I’m glad I let Jonny talk me into going to the club that night.”  
“Oh yeah?” You asked.   
“Yeah,” Barley said, “If I hadn’t gone that night, I probably wouldn’t have realized I had a crush on you.”  
“Really?” You giggled.   
“Yeah.” Barley said, feeling as if his heart was going to beat out of his chest, “If I hadn’t realized that, then I.. I wouldn’t be able to say I love you.”  
You froze, wondering if you heard him right, “What?”  
Barley gently cupped your cheeks, looking into your eyes as he repeated, “I love you, (Name).”  
You could feel your heart swell as you smiled, resting your hands on his wrists, “I love you too!”  
Barley grinned before leaning in and giving you a slow, lingering kiss.


	14. Date Night After School

" _U Ok?_ " Winston slid the paper across the desk to Ian.  
" _Yeah, just thinking about me and (Name)._ " Ian replied, sliding the paper back to the large troll.  
Both teens were sitting in the front row of their history class as the teacher paced around the room giving his lecture.   
" _I thought things were good between u both?_ " Winston gave him a concerned look as he passed the note back.  
" _Oh they are. I was thinking of telling her I love her._ " Ian wrote before passing the note back.  
Winston glanced over the note, a wide smile spreading on his face as he wrote back, " _That's awesome! U two haven't said it before tho?_ "  
" _Not yet. I'm actually kind of nervous about it. I know she cares, but what if she's not there yet?_ " Ian wrote.   
As Winston took the note, a large hand reached between the two of them, snatching the note away. To the teens horror, Mr. Benson had claimed their note as he gave them both a stern look.  
"And what's more important than this lecture gentlemen?" The teacher asked.  
"N-nothing sir." Ian stuttered.  
"Nothing hm?" Mr. Benson said with a growl, "If it's nothing then I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I read it to the class?"  
"No!" Both teens exclaimed as Ian's face turned several shades of red.   
Mr. Benson looked over the note as he made his way to the chalkboard. Ian sank into his chair, feeling as if his heart was going to pop out of his chest. Mr. Benson cleared his throat, grabbing a piece of chalk as he wrote across the board, _'We have nothing to fear but fear itself.'_  
"Mr. Lightfoot, perhaps you can tell us who said these words?" Mr. Benson asked, balling up the piece of paper.  
"I-it was Franklin D. Roosevelt, sir." Ian said.  
"Correct." Mr. Benson said, throwing the note back to him, "Next time I catch you passing notes I _will_ read it aloud."  
"Y-yes sir." Ian replied, a wave of relief washing over him as he stuffed the note into his backpack.  
~~~  
When class let out, Ian let out a heavy sigh.   
"Sorry about the note." Winston said.   
"It's fine." Ian said as he slung his bag over his shoulder, "I'm just glad Mr. Benson didn't really read it out loud."  
"No kidding." Winston replied, "So what are you going to do?"  
"I'm not sure." Ian said, "I mean, I know she likes me a lot, but... I don't know, I don't want to say it if she's not ready, but I won't know if she's ready unless I do say it."  
"I think you may be overthinking this." Winston chuckled, "Why not just go with the flow? Just say it whenever it feels natural?"  
"I guess." Ian said, feeling his cheeks heat up as he thought more about it.  
"You want to be all romantic about it, don't you?" Winston grinned.  
"Maybe..." Ian muttered as he looked away.  
"You two are adorable, you know that." Winston said as he laughed, "I'm telling you, when people say 'couple goals' they're talking about you two."  
"Come on," Ian laughed, "Who says that?"  
"Seriously," Winston said, "It's what, a couple weeks till school's out and you two have been together like, how long again?"  
"About half a year." Ian said with a smile.  
"See! Longest relationship I've had only lasted a couple months." Winston said, "Let me guess, you guys already have plans for this summer don't you?"   
"Actually, (Name) and her sister invited me, Barley, and mom to come to their family reunion." Ian said.  
"Oh yeah!" Winston said, "I forgot you're brother's dating her sister too, huh? That's great though! This is what I'm talking about! If she's wanting to introduce you to her family then don't you think she's getting serious about all this?"  
"I guess so." Ian said, his smile spreading wider, "Yeah, yeah you're right! Maybe it's not too soon then."  
"Too soon for what?" You asked as you and Avery walked up to them.  
"Nothing!" Ian said, his face turning bright red.  
Winston burst into laughter, Ian quickly shushing him as you and Avery exchanged confused looks.  
"Okay," Avery said as they changed the topic, "Are you guys doing anything tonight? Since it's Friday my mom said you all could come over."   
"Yeah, sure." Winston said with a nod.   
"(Name) and I were actually going to watch a couple movies at my place tonight." Ian said, turning to you, "If you're still up for that, I mean."  
"Heck yeah!" You grinned.  
"Aww, date night?" Avery asked.  
You nodded with a smile, "Yup! We're gonna grab some snacks on the way to Ian's and order pizza!"  
"Gee, that sounds pretty romantic if you ask me." Winston said with a teasing grin as he playfully nudged Ian.  
Again, Ian's face rivaled a tomato as he quietly hissed, "Really?!"  
You gave him a confused look before turning to Avery, who just shrugged. The bell rang, drawing you attention before you all said your goodbyes. Ian took your hand as he walked you to your last class.  
"Are you sure everythings okay?" You asked, giving him a concerned look as you traced your thumb over his.  
"Oh, yeah. I think I'm just still a little frazzled over my last class." Ian said.  
"Oh, cause Mr. Benson almost read your note out loud?" You asked with a teasing grin.  
"How-?"  
"We overheard someone talking about it before we saw you guys." You said.  
"Oh, well, y-yeah. I really thought he was going to do it." Ian said.  
"I'm surprised you were passing notes to begin with." You said as you stopped in front of your class, "What was it about?"   
"I'll tell you later." Ian said, kissing the back of your hand, "Class is going to start soon."  
"Alright," You grinned, kissing his cheek, "I'll see you after class."  
~~~  
Later after school, you and Ian wandered around a corner store looking for different snacks for your movies. After gathering up your goodies and a few drinks, the two of you walked to the bus stop, holding hands and talking about various things that had happened in class.   
"So what movie did you pick?" Ian asked you.   
"I couldn't really decide, but my aunt suggested P.S. I Love You." You said.  
"I never heard of that one." Ian said, leading the way onto the bus after it pulled up.  
"Neither have I," You said, walking through the crowded bus, "My aunt says it's really good though."  
The time seemed to fly as you two talked about movies until you reached Ian's house.   
"We're home." Ian called, but no one replied.  
Well, one reply, in the form of a scampering dragon that nearly knocked you over as he climbed up your body.  
"Blazey! Down!" You and Ian laughed as he grabbed the spray bottle.  
Little clawed feet scampered up your arm, the little dragon wrapping around your shoulders as he let out a small flame. You giggled as he slid off of you, scurrying back to the kitchen.   
"Sorry about that." Ian said with a laugh as he started looking around.  
"I'm used to it by now." You laughed, following him, "Honestly I'd be a little concerned if he stopped doing that."  
Ian nodded in agreement before he noticed the piece of paper on the counter. It was a note from Laurel letting you both know that she was called into work and Barley was out with your sister. She had also left you both money for pizza since she wouldn't be back until nine.   
"I'll get the movie set up." You offered.  
"Thanks! I'll order the pizza. Any kind in particular?" Ian asked.  
"You know what I like." You said with a grin.  
Before you knew it, you were cuddled up with Ian on the couch, leaning into his side with his arm around your shoulder. Ian hit play and you watched as the opening scene began to roll. You and Ian watched the young married couple argue and make up. Neither of you expected the movie to suddenly change to the young husband's funeral. Your aunt had told you the movie was a romance, but she neglected to tell you it was also a drama. At some point during the movie the pizza had arrived, that was the only time you both had paused the movie. By the end of the movie you both had teared up at different scenes. As the credits began to roll you turned to Ian, making him turn to you.  
"I'm never taking my aunt's movie recommendations again!" You said.  
Ian burst into laughter, hugging you tightly to him, "That was a tear jerker, wasn't it?"  
"The letters!" You said, hugging him as you teared up, "Oh my god, the letters!"  
"It was kinda sweet though, don't you think?" Ian said, rubbing your shoulder, "Ending each one with P.S. I love you."  
"That's why it was so sad!" You said, laying your head on his shoulder.  
"I think it's kinda of... bittersweet?" Ian said, kissing your forehead.   
"Yeah." You agreed, turning to him with a smile before kissing his cheek.  
Ian smiled, pressing his forehead to yours. He loved moments like this. Just relaxing with you, being able to hold you and cuddle with you. It was one of his favorite ways to relax. You always found a way to put him at ease, even without realizing it. That's why it was so easy for it to slip, without thinking of it, Ian said, "I love you."  
You both froze. Ian's heart began to race as you stared at him, wondering if you heard him right. Ian felt like an eternity passed, his mind racing as he wondered if you heard him. A wide grin spread across your face as you hugged him tightly.  
"I love you too!" You beamed.  
Ian sighed in relief, returning the hug as he kissed your forehead, "Y-you don't think it's too soon to say that?"  
"No!" You pulled away and smiled, "I actually wanted to say it sooner, but I didn't want to freak you out."  
"Really?" Ian laughed, "I didn't want to freak you out either!"   
You both laughed before you leaned into Ian again.  
"I love you." Ian said again, a smile spreading across his face as he looked into your eyes.  
"I love you too." You said, smiling before you leaned up, giving him a quick kiss.

————  
 **A/N:** omg I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out everyone! So life's been kinda crazy, aside from that I've been wanting to work on my own original story lately, but I didn't want to leave you all hanging for Ian's I Love You fic, but now that it's done I'm gonna go on a hiatus for a while. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but I will eventually come back with more chapters. For now I hope everyone stays safe out there and whatever you celebrate in the upcoming holidays, I hope you all have as good of a time as you can in this 2020 nonsense of a year lol.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! If you have any request go ahead and leave them in the comments!


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